Abstract: Lead-based anode has been widely used for electrowinning of non-ferrous metals because of its simple preparation process and low cost. However, due to the degrading degree of zinc minerals, fluoride and chloride concentration in electrolyte for zinc electrowinning ascends gradually, which further leads to severer corrosion of lead-based anode and lower quality of cathodic zinc. Consequently, the traditional lead-based anode could not meet the demand of industrial operation, which threatens the sustainable development of zinc metallurgy industry. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the stability of lead-based anode in sulfuric acid solutions. Currently, the main measures taken to improve the service stability of lead-based anode are as follows: (i) optimizing metallic microstructure of lead alloys through adjusting alloy elements, heat treatment, plastic deformation; (ii) surface pretreatment such as sandblasting and chemical etching; (iii) designing novel electrode structures, such as porous anode, sandwich structure anode and DSA anode. These measures were mainly aimed at lead or lead alloy anodes. However, lead-based anodes work as metal/oxides electrodes during electrowinning process due to the anodic layer formed on the surface of lead substrates. Therefore, these measures mentioned above fails to resolve the stability problem of lead-based anodes. As a metal/oxides electrode, the key for improving the stability of lead-based anode in sulfuric acid solution was simultaneously improving the bond stability of substrate/anodic layer and inner stability of anodic layer. In this review, the inf-luence of corrosion resistance, mechanical performance, and surface pretreatment of lead-based substrate on the bond stability of substrate/anodic layer was summarized. In addition, the influence of oxygen evolution reaction, composition and structure of anodic layer on the inner stability of anodic layer was analyzed. Furthermore, the influence mechanism of these factors on the stability of lead-based anode was discussed. Designing novel lead-based anode should focus on simultaneously improving the bond stability of substrate/anodic layer and inner stability of anodic layer. The crucial work for preparing novel lead-based anodes is designing transition layer with high bond-strength, low chemical potential difference, and stable dimension between substrate and anodic layer, and synthesizing anodic layer with uniform composition and compact structure. Based on analysis mentioned above, it could be forecasted that future developments of lead-based anode used in sulfuric acid solutions as follows: (i) designing 3D porous Pb or Pb alloy substrate to improve the bond-stability of substrate and anodic layer; (ii) constructing transition layer consisting of gradient oxides between substrate and anodic layer, such as “Pb-PbO-PbOx-PbO2”. The gradient O concentration would help inhibiting the transfer of O species formed during oxygen evolution reaction towards the substrate, which further relieves oxidation and corrosion of lead (or lead alloy) substrate; (iii) realizing metallurgical bond of oxide particles and lead substrates to improve the service stability of anodic layer.